Unified Airflow Assembly for UV Lamp Cooling and Clean Suction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current UV disinfection devices face limitations in surface coverage due to lamp positioning, require additional cooling components increasing cost and weight, and generate harmful ozone, making them cumbersome and costly for effective surface decontamination.
Innovation Solution
A unified airflow system that includes a shared airflow passage between a UV source and an airflow accessory, with air restriction units to control suction airflow, allowing for efficient cooling of the UV lamp and effective disinfection of surfaces at various heights without exposing the lamp to unclean air, while also removing contaminants and ozone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the UV lamp is positioned proximate to the suction opening for cooling, then the UV lamp can be cooled effectively, but the UV lamp is exposed to unclean air which deteriorates its life and performance
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow path is segmented into separate zones: a clean airflow path for the UV lamp and a contaminated airflow path for the suction opening. This segmentation allows the UV lamp to receive cooling airflow without being exposed to contaminated air from the suction opening, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and lamp reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition or baffle structure acts as an intermediary element between the UV lamp and the suction opening. This intermediary prevents contaminated air from reaching the UV lamp while still allowing cooling airflow to reach the lamp, thus maintaining both cooling effectiveness and lamp reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the UV lamp is positioned on top of the vacuum cleaner body away from the suction opening, then the UV lamp projects UV light away from the floor, but additional cooling components are required which increase cost and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function for the UV lamp is merged with the existing suction airflow system. The same airflow accessory that provides suction for cleaning also provides cooling for the UV lamp through the shared airflow passage, eliminating the need for separate cooling components and reducing both cost and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow accessory is designed with multi-functionality: it serves both as a suction device for contaminant removal and as a cooling device for the UV lamp. This universal design eliminates the need for dedicated cooling components, addressing the contradiction between UV light projection direction and device complexity.
3Area of stationary object
If the UV lamp is positioned to disinfect surfaces at substantial height, then large-area disinfection is achieved, but the UV lamp cannot effectively disinfect surfaces close to the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The UV lamp positioning is made dynamic through the articulated arm mechanism, allowing the lamp to adjust its position and orientation. This enables the UV lamp to disinfect surfaces at various heights including both floor-level surfaces and elevated surfaces, resolving the contradiction between large-area disinfection capability and surface coverage adaptability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional room UV disinfection devices are used separately from surface cleaning equipment, then comprehensive decontamination is achieved, but storage and upkeep costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum cleaner and UV disinfection device are merged into a single integrated unit. The vacuum cleaner body houses the UV lamp and airflow accessory, combining surface cleaning and air disinfection functions in one device. This eliminates the need for separate room UV disinfection devices, reducing storage and upkeep costs while maintaining comprehensive decontamination effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device performs multiple functions: surface cleaning through suction and air disinfection through UV irradiation. This multi-functional design replaces the need for separate cleaning and disinfection equipment, addressing the contradiction between decontamination effectiveness and device complexity.
5Device complexity
If the UV lamp projects UV light to a narrow surface area, then the device structure is simplified, but significant delays occur when attempting to disinfect large areas
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated arm mechanism enables dynamic positioning of the UV lamp, allowing it to reach and disinfect various surfaces including floor surfaces and elevated surfaces. This dynamic capability expands the disinfection coverage area without requiring a complex multi-lamp system, thus improving disinfection speed while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient, large-area UV disinfection with reduced ozone emission, improving surface coverage and reducing operational costs by integrating airflow and UV disinfection into a single device, enhancing safety and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
UV light is widely known for contactless surface disinfection
Implementation Method 2
an airflow accessory in selective fluid communication with the vacuum pump and configured to use a suction airstream for decontaminating a surface
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum pump configured to establish a selective flow communication between a predetermined site and various other sites
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a unified airflow system for ultraviolet disinfection devices are disclosed. One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a unified airflow assembly and a control unit. The unified airflow assembly provides a shared airflow passage between a UV source and an airflow accessory capable of extracting contaminants from a target surface using a suction airstream. The UV source may be fluidically disconnected from the airflow accessory. The unified airflow assembly may include at least one air restriction unit in the shared airflow passage for manipulating a suction airstream therein. The control unit may be configured to drive the at least one air restriction unit to restrict the suction airstream to only one of the UV source and the airflow accessory.